How much would a stamp cost if mail was completely privatized?

[xsited1]

Let's say the industry, even before FedEX, UPS existed... was completely privatized...

How much do you think stamps would cost today?

It would probably be 10 cents. They'd make most of their money on larger items.

 

[toomuchtime_]

The U.S. Postal Service is studying roughly 1,000 of its 37,000 post offices for possible closure — the latest cost-cutting step from an agency scrambling to deal with a projected $7 billion deficit this year and larger losses in 2010.
The agency started its review earlier this year with approximately 3,200 post offices, and decided about 1,000 of them are “candidates for further review.” Postal managers say they will consider several factors in deciding whether to close those facilities: mail volume, proximity to other post offices and the potential savings in labor and utility costs.
Post offices generate about 71 percent of the Postal Service’s revenues each year; the rest comes through alternative channels, particularly the Postal Service’s Web site.
“Each year more and more postal transactions are now accomplished online,” said Jordan Small, the Postal Service’s acting vice president for network operations. “We consider this a success ... [but we need] to determine if there is, indeed, excess capacity in the network.”
USPS may close 1,000 post offices - Federal news, government operations, agency management, pay & benefits - FederalTimes.com

The United States Postal Service (“USPS”) asserts that it no longer receives tax-payer subsidies, However, inasmuch as it is dependent on federal monies to continue operating, and the only source of revenue for the government is tax-payer dollars, this is a fallacious argument. For example, in 2008, the USPS financial losses amounted to $2.8B. The USPS was able to continue operating after a federal government “bailout.” Hence, every piece of mail delivered by the USPS was subsidized, to some extent, by the US taxpayer
Tax-payer dollars no longer to support distribution of animal fighting material

While it's true that the post office is for the most part self reliant it's a little bit of a stretch to boast about this fact given it's recent track record of losses and begging congress for money to stay afloat.

Yes, it recently has asked for government bailout like every single industry. They are struggling because of high gas prices, which have driven them to the brink, and the fact that people are using other sources to communicate.

That doesn't discount the fact that they've run un-subsidized until we hit depression like standards for 100+ years.

In fact, the Postal Service had always relied on subsidies until they were finally phased out in 1982 as a part of the reorganization of the Post Office Department into the USPS by Nixon in 1970.

United States Postal Se...: West's Encyclopedia of American Law (Full Article) from Answers.com

 

[Ringel05]

That's not the point of the thread. The point is that despite the lies you're being told, the government always does it better, faster, and cheaper.

Actually very misleading. The Postal Service has been around for a couple of hundred years and up until the 1970s (receiving subsidies) it had managed to grow and streamline itself and adapt to technological changes. Since the 70s it has managed to lag behind it's "competitors" by failing to adapt itself to modern technological advancements, loosing money hand over fist.
Not a very good (and BTW only) example of government doing things better, faster and cheaper.

 

[Fatality]

When you say "Cost" are you including how much taxpayers fund every year?

??? You do realize that the US mail service is completely self funded correct? Ok, good... continue?

so if thats true then obamas health scam should also be self funded, no tax payer involvment whatsoever. have fun

 

[Dr.House]

The point is that despite the lies you're being told, the government always does it better, faster, and cheaper.

This should be framed and hung in the Smithsonian as one of the stupidest fucking things ever posted on Algore's interweb...

 

[OneWorld]

In fact, the Postal Service had always relied on subsidies until they were finally phased out in 1982 as a part of the reorganization of the Post Office Department into the USPS by Nixon in 1970.

United States Postal Se...: West's Encyclopedia of American Law (Full Article) from Answers.com

The entire industry is nose-diving because people don't use mail anymore. This is no different that many other industries that eventually fade away. 2008 was a devastating year for most industries, especially those that involved gas (ie, travel industry, trucking, etc...). The USPS is not receiving subsides, it applied for help to pay for pensions.

 

[OneWorld]

The point is that despite the lies you're being told, the government always does it better, faster, and cheaper.

This should be framed and hung in the Smithsonian as one of the stupidest fucking things ever posted on Algore's interweb...

Of course, because they've pounded in your head over and over that this isn't true.

How has the privatizing of the military worked out? Name an industry that was run by government, that when privatized ran better? Good luck...

When you have to add all of the fat CEO and management salaries, and create profits for shareholders you're going to be more expensive. Even IF you can run it more effective, it's going to be more expensive. Additionally, you have to understand at what costs do these private industries have on the planet, the environment, and it's citizens?

Study how private industry destroys indigenous people throughout the world in order to gather the resources it needs for it's product. They do it as cheap as possible, and leave a wreck in their wake because they are ONLY focused on the profit.

Do you deny this?

 

[Fatality]

The point is that despite the lies you're being told, the government always does it better, faster, and cheaper.

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